Let’s Tour: Nagoya’s Underground Labyrinth
May 26, 2021 By Jason Gatewood
Nagoya has a deep and dark secret… Well a deep, but pretty well-lit secret, actually. Did you know that it is home to Japan’s oldest underground pedestrian passageway and shopping mall network? Underground shopping malls, or 地下街 (chikagai), are pretty common in the larger urban cities in Japan. They can...[ Click to read more ]
Get Your Shop on! Hiroshima’s Shopping Spots
Apr 26, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Back in the height of the 'bubble era,' Japan had won a reputation for a consumer society so rampant that second-hand stores overflowed with designer brand clothing, and the streets were littered with discarded year-old electrical appliances. Of course, things have slowed down considerably since then, however, a consumer culture...[ Click to read more ]
How to switch to “Bargain Mobile” MVNOs in Japan
Mar 25, 2021 By Jason Gatewood
It was bound to happen to me at some point, but the way it happened is a bit out of the ordinary. I switched mobile phone provider recently… Actually make that mobile data provider as this was for my iPad, but that distinction doesn’t matter these days because data is...[ Click to read more ]
Infinity Books is the calming oasis from the hustle-and-bustle you didn’t know you needed.
Mar 24, 2021 By Jason Gatewood
We’ve done plenty of articles about places and festivals in and around the Asakusa district, usually reinforcing its position as the nexus of historical Tokyo, from the landmark shrine Sensō-Ji and its well-known lantern gate Kaminarimon, to the many winding shopping alleys that emanate like spider webs outward from the...[ Click to read more ]
Getting a mobile phone plan in Japan (Spring 2021 update)
By Jason Gatewood
The mobile phone landscape has gone through an almost complete shake-up in the last two years. There are myriad choices available for those that are not only just getting started to live in the country, but also for those of us more “seasoned” expats that may have been just sticking...[ Click to read more ]
Fun Activities for Kids in Kobe
Feb 18, 2021 By Justin Hanus
Did you move to Kobe with kids? Then you’ll be pleased to find a variety of children’s and family-friendly activities to keep you occupied in your spare time. Whether you’re looking for indoor amusements or a trip to a nice outdoor space, there is plenty of stuff to both excite...[ Click to read more ]
Let’s Tour: Togoshi-Ginza in Tokyo
Dec 24, 2020 By Jason Gatewood
Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district is known far and wide for its opulent array of shops and boutiques catering to those with more than a little bitcoins in their pockets. The most exquisite of luxury brands choose this part of town to put what is sometimes their most unique shop with...[ Click to read more ]
Getting to know you: Azabu Juban, Tokyo
Sep 25, 2020 By Bert Wishart
As one of the most fashionable and exclusive neighborhoods in central Tokyo, Azabu Juban is a fantastic place to live or enjoy. You can find favorite shopping boutiques, cool little cafes, and small independent stores in which you can find something a bit different from that of the big chains...[ Click to read more ]
Go Potty at the Tokoname-yaki Pottery Festival
Sep 24, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Aichi is Japan's modern-day hub of automotive manufacture. Long before that, about 800 years before Mr. Toyoda's Type G Automatic Loom, Aichi was a hub for pottery. During the Heian Period (794-1185), Japan had 'Six Ancient Kilns' of ceramics production, two in Aichi: one at Seto, and the other -...[ Click to read more ]
Benzaiten – Japanese Sweets to ‘Dai’ For in Nagoya
Aug 24, 2020 By Bert Wishart
I'm a great fan of desserts that do precisely what their name suggests. You've got a Tiramisu, which is a literal 'pick me up' thanks to the coffee within. Then there's an Eton mess, a cream dish that looks dropped on the floor and haphazardly scooped back into a dish....[ Click to read more ]
